Jeremiah 5 28

Jeremiah 5:28 kjv

They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

Jeremiah 5:28 nkjv

They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.

Jeremiah 5:28 niv

and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.

Jeremiah 5:28 esv

they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.

Jeremiah 5:28 nlt

They are fat and sleek,
and there is no limit to their wicked deeds.
They refuse to provide justice to orphans
and deny the rights of the poor.

Jeremiah 5 verses

Jeremiah 5 28 Meaning

This verse describes the people of Jerusalem becoming prosperous through dishonest and corrupt practices. Their wealth was not gained through righteousness but through exploitation and injustice, leading to a complete disregard for God's law.

Jeremiah 5 28 Context

Jeremiah chapter 5 paints a stark picture of the spiritual and moral decay within Jerusalem. The prophet Jeremiah is sent by God to call the people and their leaders to repentance, highlighting their sinfulness and warning of impending judgment. Verse 28 specifically points to the citizens’ comfort and security being built upon a foundation of corruption, their failure to uphold justice, and their pride in their iniquity. The people have not only committed acts of injustice but have surpassed others in their evil deeds, becoming numb to the severity of their sins and secure in their ill-gotten gains. This verse sets the stage for the divine pronouncements of destruction that follow.

Jeremiah 5 28 Word Analysis

• אלילים (elilim): Literally "gods," but often used in a derogatory sense for idols or nothingness. Here, it may carry a sense of emptiness or the futility of their ways apart from God, or it might imply they "made a god" of their wealth or prosperity.
• השׁׁמנוּ (hashmenû): From "shâman" (to be fat, sleek, rich). It implies they have grown prosperous and perhaps complacent.
• ועצוּ (ve'atșû): From "'âțsâ" (to consult, plan, advise). This implies they went beyond the norm, their evil deeds were planned or deliberate.
• הלאים (he'lîm): From "âlam" (to be weary, become obscure). It implies they "surpassed" or "outstripped" others in their wickedness. They were exceedingly evil.
• דברי רשׁׁע (divrê rasha‘): Literally "matters of wickedness." This refers to their evil deeds, their corrupt practices, and unjust actions.
• שׁפט תשׁׁפט (shôphat tishpôț): From "shâphat" (to judge). This phrase "judge," "judge them," or "rule," suggesting their complete lack of justice in governing and daily life. It can also mean "to judge, to contend, to plead" cases unfairly.
• ותבעוּ (uvatbe‘û): From "tâba‘" (to sink, plunge, plead, seek). It implies they "sought," "pursued," or "pleaded" for their cases without any regard for justice, or even sought out unjust causes to exploit.
• משׁפט (mishpât): Judgment, justice, ordinance, case. Specifically points to the perversion of the legal system and justice.
• למחקר (lemachqêr): From "chaqar" (to search, investigate). This implies a thorough, deliberate pursuit of justice, but here it is twisted to mean searching out ways to pervert justice. It signifies a systematic and thorough engagement in unrighteousness.
• אין (eyn): No, not, none. Emphasizes the absence of justice.
• אשּׁר (asher): Straight, right, upright. Indicates the complete lack of integrity or rectitude.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "They have grown fat and sleek, and they have surpassed the deeds of the wicked." This powerful imagery contrasts external prosperity ("fat and sleek") with internal moral corruption. Their physical well-being is a stark indicator of their material success, ironically gained through unethical means, making them more wicked than even those considered distinctly evil.
• "They did not defend the rights of the fatherless, nor did they maintain the cause of the needy." This highlights specific failures in justice. They neglected their duty to protect the vulnerable – the fatherless (orphans) and the needy (widows, poor) – who were traditionally under societal protection. This reveals a complete abandonment of compassionate and just leadership.
• "And perverted the justice in their courts." This indicates that the legal system itself was corrupted. The courts, meant to administer justice, were used to pervert and twist the truth.
• "Sought the destruction of the fatherless and the needy with all their might": This shows that their neglect was not passive but active and deliberate. They not only failed to defend the vulnerable but actively worked against them, "sinking" the rights and hopes of the poor for their own gain.

Jeremiah 5 28 Bonus Section

The prophet Jeremiah frequently confronts the disconnect between outward religious practice and inner moral reality. In this verse, the physical prosperity ("fat and sleek") is a clear sign of their material well-being, but it is tainted by their corrupt actions. This mirrors the condemnation in Amos 6:4-6, where the rich are denounced for lying on beds of ivory and ignoring the ruin of the nation, demonstrating a similar theme of complacency in the face of national decay driven by injustice. The phrase "surpassed the deeds of the wicked" suggests they had become a benchmark of evil, having systematically refined their corrupt practices to avoid obvious transgressions while maximizing their exploitative gains. Their active perversion of justice for the fatherless and the needy is a grave sin against God's covenantal commands, which often stipulated protection for these vulnerable groups.

Jeremiah 5 28 Commentary

Jeremiah 5:28 serves as a severe indictment of Jerusalem's leadership and citizenry. Their affluence was not a sign of God's favor but a direct consequence of rampant injustice and oppression. They were "fat and sleek" not from honest toil, but from preying on the weak. Their deeds surpassed even the standard of wickedness; they had institutionalized perversion of justice in their courts and actively sought the downfall of the vulnerable. This verse underscores a fundamental principle: true prosperity cannot be built on the exploitation of others. It also highlights a dangerous spiritual state where societal breakdown is characterized by a complete disregard for divine law and human dignity.

• Practical Application: This verse challenges us to examine the source of our own comfort and success. Are we, like the people of Jerusalem, benefiting from or perpetuating injustice in any form, be it through economic exploitation, systemic bias, or even indifference to the suffering of others? True godliness demands justice and compassion for the marginalized.